In this type of cleaning appliance, access control is obtained using an authorization carrier, for example a key or an authorization card, on which an access authorization is stored. For the purpose of access control, it must be ensured that only an authorized, trained user operates the cleaning appliance. This avoids improper operation and an associated risk not only of damage to the cleaning appliance, but also of injury to the operator or third parties. Examples of cleaning appliances requiring access authorization are scrubber vacuums, mobile sweepers, and cleaning appliances which operate by means of a cleaning jet, in particular heatable high-pressure cleaners or particle blasting devices such as dry ice blasters.
The cleaning appliance of the generic kind includes two or more authorization carriers of different authorization profiles, wherein in the present context, “authorization profile of the authorization carrier” is the authorization profile which is linked to the access authorization stored on the authorization carrier. The range of functions of the cleaning appliance is determined based on the authorization profile. Thus, for example, it may be provided that an authorization carrier provided for operators with “standard experience” grants access to the most common functions of the cleaning appliance. More experienced operators may be provided with authorization carriers, the authorization profile of which grants access to further functions of the cleaning appliance. Lastly, authorization carriers provided for maintenance personnel may be provided, by use of which the entire range of functions of the cleaning appliance may be utilized.
The authorization profile of an authorization carrier may be a component of the access authorization, or it may likewise be stored on the authorization carrier and detected by the detection unit together with the access authorization. It is also conceivable for the detection unit to transmit the access authorization to a control unit of the cleaning appliance which, based on information stored in a memory element of the cleaning appliance, is able to determine which authorization profile is linked to the transmitted access authorization. Functional units of the cleaning appliance, for example a cleaning tool, a dirt pick-up device, a cleaning agent dispensing device, etc., may then be controlled by the control unit in dependence on the authorization profile.
An object underlying the present invention is to provide a cleaning appliance of the type mentioned at the outset which is more user-friendly in operation.